Microsoft Skype for Business Starts Rolling Out to Users Worldwide

Microsoft, almost a month after rolling out the technical preview of its Skype for Business client, finally announced a full-fledged rollout on Tuesday.

The Skype for Business client would be made available to business users as part of the April monthly update for Office 2013, while Skype for Business Online would be rolled out globally by the end of May to Office 365 for Business users.

The Redmond giant added for Lync Online users in Office 365, the update will arrive "in the coming weeks." Microsoft says that for users that need a little more time to prepare for the transition, it has added the ability for administrators to switch between Skype for Business and the traditional Lync UI.

Microsoft first announced Skype for Business in November last year. The service features a new client, server release, and other updates. Using the service, users can communicate with anyone including people inside or outside the organisation. The service in Office 365 features functions like presence, IM, voice and video calls, and online meetings.

Skype for Business brings familiar Skype icons for calling, ending a call, adding video and more alongside a new call monitor. The call monitor lets users view an active call as a small window on the screen if in case the user is working on some other application simultaneously. The update also makes it easier for users to access functions with few number of clicks than on Skype. For instance, transferring a call is now just one click away instead of three.

While Lync already offers messaging and voice calling to Skype users, the new update adds the video calling ability and the Skype user directory to the enterprise-focused service.